Hangovers were replaced with anxiety in anticiption of the Grade 5 rapids!

We drove upstream about 20km along dusty tracks lined with waving children and once we had been given a 'doom and gloom' safety briefing we mounted our rafts and barrelled down the river. On the second rapid our attention was drawn to the safety boat where one of our fellow rafters was sat with a massive black eye where her face had connected with a stray oar. Needless to say, the adrenalin was coursing through our veins!

We held on for dear life over 8 rapids - 4 x Grade 4 and 4 x Grade 5 (the guides determined that the 'Bad Place' - a Grade 6 ferrocious multiple rapid would be too much for us intrepid beginners so we skipped this one!) as we were snapped from vantage points by the tour photographers - we were not concerned with smiling for a good picture - it was all about gritting the teeth and surviving the white boiling water and grimaces there were plenty of! Vikki and I toppled out of the boat on two seperate rapids but managed to doggy paddle our way to safety before the rocks appeared!

We were relieved to discover that what we thought were Nile crocodiles were actually monitor lizards taking a daily swim in the river - one less thing to worry about....

Soaking wet and happy to be alive we arrived at our destination and reflected on our adrenalin fuelled adventure over a beer and some lovely home-cooked food. We had a good chuckle at the photos that had been taken of the many wipeouts along the way.

Heading back to the truck, past a man dancing with a billy-goat, we left the river and then headed back to our camp to lay in the tent looking out over the tranquil Nile and listened to the Ghekkos scurrying up the walls of our tent and the monkeys in the trees.

Comments

Sure he wasn't dancing with a nanny-goat instead of a Billy-goat? - sounds a bit kinky otherwise.....

Glad you survived the rapids, I had everything crossed all day yesterday as I thought you'd said that you were doing your rafting that day..... Can't wait for the next installment, and the photos of you both white-water rafting!! Xxxx

Sue
on Oct 7, 2012 at 07:44PM

All sounds a bit scary for me! So glad you survived without black eyes! Looking forward to seeing photographic evidence...

Gin
on Oct 16, 2012 at 09:52PM

Just catching up on your latest adventure . Sounds all rather colourful !!! Look forward to further news . Gin xxxx